Today I get to talk to one of my favorite people and authors, my Candy Hearts sistah, Angela Hayes. Her CHR selection GOT LOVE? drops tomorrow, and it’s a goodie! Stick around until the end for an excerpt and you can read my review of this fun Valentine’s Day novella. Here’s Angela:

1. What was the inspiration – aside from the candy hearts candies(!) for your book?

The idea for Got Love? actually grew from an idea for another short story I was trying to puzzle out, that features my main character, Flora’s, best friend Fia. From the beginning I wanted there to be a secret community of fae living among humans and with the Valentine’s theme, it seemed only natural to write about a cupid. Add in a florist and you’ve got the stereotypical Valentine’s bases covered.

Knowing Fia’s story wouldn’t work for the Candy Hearts series I put it on the back burner to write Flora’s and in the process have set up not only Fia’s story, but one for Flora’s other friend, Runa as well.

2. Love the title : GOT LOVE. Is there a story behind your choice of that one?

When the call went out for Candy Hearts and we were told our titles needed to be found on one of the actual pieces of candy, I hit the net to find a list of choices. Boy, where there a bunch. Keeping in mind that I wanted to use a cupid, when I came across, Got Love?, I thought, what better title could there be! And when I kept visualizing him in a red-tshirt, with Got Love? written in white across his chest, I knew I had a keeper. Sadly, it’s too cold for my cupid, Tharin, to wear a t-shirt, but maybe in the next book.

3. Since the CH series are all novellas, was it harder to write this length than a full length novel? I ask because sometimes it’s hard to fit everything you want to say to serve the story in a certain lower word count.

Working a full-time job and raising tweens makes it hard for me to get any type of writing done lately. But with a rather quick deadline, trying my hand at a novella was right up my alley. Keeping the word count low actually worked in my favor, since I was able to write Got Love? in less than a year!

4. What special things/events/or presents do you give your Valentine(s) every year?

The hubby, kids, and I always celebrate with food. We either head out to eat, or fire up the grill.

5. Best Valentine’s gift (given to you) ever?

I’m going to say this year’s book release will the best gift ever. That’ll be hard to top!

GOT LOVE?

BLURB

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, gorse fairy, Flora Hawthorne is up to her neck in flowers, chocolate, and all things romance. She has no time for love, until she comes face to face with her own personal Cupid and the sparks fly!

Looking to settle down, Cupid Tharin Terize wants fairy Flora Hawthorne to be his valentine, not just for one night, but for the rest of time. Now, all he has to do is convince her.

EXCERPT

Tucking a few extra napkins in her coat pocket, Flora picked up her coffee, only to spin around and smash right into a cashmere-clad brick wall.

“Aw, snapdragons!” She exclaimed over a chorus of stunned gasps and excited squeals, the contents of her cup now soaking the shirt in front of her. Thinking quickly she dropped the near empty cup, pulled her scarf from around her neck, and used it to blot at the spreading coffee stain. “Sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s my fault, I was too close.”

Flora looked up. All rational thought fled her mind. This was no elf, fairy, or nymph in front of her. Oh, no, this was a cupid! Gorgeous beyond description with tempting chocolate eyes a fae-kin could get lost in for days, he had a neatly-trimmed beard that framed a perfect white smile and dark shoulder-length hair that accented a face obviously carved by The Mother, Cailleach Bheur herself.

“Wow, you are ripped under there, aren’t you?” She admired without thinking, only to blush when she realized what she’d said. The man was in possession of a clearly well-muscled chest and the requisite washboard abs that went with it. “Not that I’m trying to cop a feel or anything,” she confessed. “But that’s nice. Kudos on the hard work by the way.” Shaking her head, Flora mentally chided herself. This was not going well.